10:51 AM, November 21, 2013
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President Obama and Hamid Karzai in January. / Charles Dharapak, AP

by David Jackson, USA TODAY

by David Jackson, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON - In a letter to Afghanistan counterpart Hamid Karzai, President Obama said Wednesday that the United States will respect Afghan sovereignty under a proposed new security agreement.

"We will continue to make every effort to respect the sanctity and dignity of Afghans in their homes and in their daily lives, just as we do for our own citizens," Obama wrote in the letter released Thursday morning by the administration.

The president sent the letter as Karzai and Secretary of State John Kerry worked on an agreement that would allow U.S. troops to stay in Afghanistan to train and assist local forces, even after the end of combat operations after 2014.

The proposal must still go before the Loya Jirga, a 2,500-member council of Afghan elders that could change or revise parts of the draft agreement.

Karzai and other officials have long criticized American raids on Afghan homes, sometimes resulting in deaths and injuries to civilians.

In his letter, Obama told Karzai that "over time, and especially in the recent past, we have redoubled our efforts to ensure that Afghan homes are respected by our forces and that our operations are conducted consistent with your law."

Some Afghan officials had sought a U.S. apology for the deaths of civilians, but Obama's letter did not contain one.

Obama wrote that "many of my countrymen and women have given their lives or been seriously wounded in the pursuit of protecting Afghans, and we honor the enormous sacrifices they have made, side by side with Afghans."

The United States does reserve the right to conduct raids on suspected terrorists, according to the letter.

"U.S. forces shall not enter Afghan homes for the purposes of military operations, except under extraordinary circumstances involving urgent risk to life and limb of U.S. nationals," Obama wrote to Karzai.

Karzai has said he supports a new agreement, but won't sign until the Loya Jirga reviews the proposal, and after April 5 elections in Afghanistan.

A U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 dislodged the ruling Taliban for providing safe harbor for organizers of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Afghanistan remains mired in civil conflict, resulting in the United States' longest war.

The U.S.and NATO have agreed to have most of their troops out of the country after 2014, as they gradually turn over most security operations to the Afghans themselves.

But the new proposed security agreement would permit the U.S. and allies to retain a residual force in Afghanistan.

American officials have not disclosed how many U.S. troops they want to keep in Afghanistan after 2014. Estimates range from 8,000 to 12,000 U.S. and allied troops, with the U.S. supplying no more than 8,000.